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I have always loved this photo. I took it a few years ago while we were out in a field that had just been planted. We were down in the dirt counting green bean seeds to check the planting rate and I remember looking over at Matt as we both were kneeling down, and being thankful to have him out there with me. I wasn’t sure how I got so lucky, I’m still not, but I’m reminded often that I am.

And today just so happens to be this great guy’s birthday! And while it might seem like just another day on the farm, I wanted to share something special on here, because as real life happens, we don’t say all the good stuff enough. My farmer is the one who gets to (has to) be there when I can’t (usually because of our growing family). He works tirelessly at the weather’s beck and call, yes…even on Sundays. He takes risks alongside me as we make decisions that will effect our success and ultimately our livelihood. I can’t imagine what my life would be like without this man, and I can’t imagine our farm without him either.

Although now that I think about it, he might be able to…I think it would probably involve a lot more fishing and hunting (sorry babe!). Plus I have to be honest here, farming together isn’t always perfect moments of bumper crops, slam dunks and sunshine (especially this year!), and we are together very literally all the time, no really, ALL. THE. TIME. Sometimes it’s tough, but we are doing it, we are working together, sometimes with trial and error and a few (or a lot of) deep breaths. But I’ll give him credit, he’s my rock when I get (very rarely obviously) all wound up about this that or the other. I can’t thank him enough for that.

He’s also a great dad, who loves his boys with a love that is unwavering. We are finding that we are lucky….every single day….to get to do what we love with who we love. So today happy birthday to my one and only. You’re a great friend, my solid ground, an incredible dad, wonderful husband….and as it turns out, almost as good of a farmer as me (wink wink). And cheers to another wonderful year of hanging out in the fields, inevitably covered in dirt, with our little farming family!

Like this:

Old Grey has been on our farm for 22 years. 22 fertilizer seasons of running around loaded down from field to field. 22 summers of hauling grass seed, clover, wheat, even filberts on long hot days. 22 years of wear, tear, washing and waxing before each season.

I realize it might seem silly to have an attachment to just a piece of equipment on our farm, but silly or not, I was sad to see her go. Maybe it’s because I always think back when I was a kid and that steering wheel seemed so big! I can perfectly imagine it’s what Hoot is thinking right as I took the photo below! Or maybe it’s the memories later, sitting in the driver’s seat of Old Grey, learning how to drive a semi, while dad sat in the passenger side and told me to “Take it easy on her!” and inevitably cringing while I grinded every gear heading down the road. Old Grey is the truck that didn’t have the get up and go of her new counterparts at our farm, but I’ll be dammed if she didn’t always get you where you wanted to go….eventually.We bought a new truck that is currently being put together, painted up all pretty and shiny. She’s newer than Old Grey by a long shot, has more horsepower, and will be a great addition to our farm. When we bought her and made the decision to sell Old Grey, it was the end of an era. This is the first large purchase that Matt and I have made since buying the farm from my parents. In a way Old Grey represents the past generation on our farm and the transition to the next.

So while Hoot was farming with me on Friday, we went to say our goodbyes. I gave our boy, generation number 4 a chance to stand on the seat and pull the horn one last time, just like I did growing up.

Obviously Hoot didn’t quite feel as sentimental as me, he was just excited to go see the combines haha! But regardless I said my thank yous for being such a great part of our farm, and for always getting us where we needed to be….eventually.

Like this:

As a mom of young little men, 2 & 1…I am glad that I get to stay home one day a week with them and just be a mom. While this isn’t really the case because cells phones make it impossible (in good ways and bad) to be completely disconnected from the farm, I truly enjoy that mid-week time that we get to hang out.

Yesterday it wasn’t raining and made for a great day to get outside and play! Auggie is getting to be quite the walker (soon to be runner!) and Hoot just finds adventure at every turn! Yesterday was just one of those great days. One that I know I’ll look back on and miss once the boys are jumping on a school bus in the morning, or worse yet jumping in their car and driving to school (heaven forbid!).

It’s not always easy to find balance between farming, raising crops…raising kids, disciplining, loving, and generally feeling totally at ease with how life is going, actually if I were to be honest here I know I’m not alone in saying, for me it’s a struggle. But there are moments, and yesterday was one that I felt like we were in a good place. I got to do some soaking in of those small boys just being boys. We made some memories and man was it nice!